amazing!. in a word, wow! my girlfriend and i chose tournedos for a special, romantic christmas celebration, and we both had unquestionably the best meal of our lives so far.
the meal starts out with freshly baked, hot, crusty bread, served with whipped butter and garlic infused dipping oil. we wanted to experience some different flavors, and so chose several appetizers (we did this in place of side dishes for the entrees) - cognac infused seafood bisque, bruschetta, and since we felt adventurous, escargot with bleu cheese and puff pastry. the bisque had generous chunks of shredded crab and lobster, with just the right amount of bite from the congac for flavor. our bruschetta was equally wonderful with fresh tomatos, garlic, and shredded parmesan over hot, toasted crostini. the escargot and puff pastry tasted nice, although the bleu cheese overpowered the rest of the flavors. otherwise, not bad for our first foray into snails. for wine, we chose a pinot grigio. this place has a well stocked wine cellar, and what they have is quality. the wine had a nice, light, fruity flavor.
for entrees, my girlfriend chose a tenderloin filet medium rare, and i had the single cut new york strip with crab legs. they dry age their beef on site, and it shows. the flavor was wonderful. the steaks were perfectly cooked, with a paper thin, crusty sear (without being burned) that literally crunches as ones chews. the charred flavor of the sear melds perfectly with the juicy interior and creates a wonderful texture contrast. the crab legs were juicy and flavorful.
the appetizers were great. the entrees were wonderful. however, the star of the show arrived for dessert. in the spirit of celebration, we ordered three separate desserts and shared each to sample. tournedos makes its own sorbet in house. the sorbet dish came with two flavors,
coconut and lemon. the lemon sorbet rested in a sweet/tart raspberry sauce, and the coconut had a banana flavor sauce. both were wonderful. we also had creme brulee (this is the closest thing the food world has to crack-cocaine for passionate lovers of sweets), and peppermint cheesecake. the creme brulee was perfect. the peppermint cheesecake (my personal favorite of the evening) came with a solid chocolate ganache over top, and crumbled candy cane, which provided anicecrunchy textural contrast to the soft cheesecake and ganache.
i would recommend tournedos to all passionate foodies
who appreciate perfect classically prepared steak and seafood. the food is simply amazing, and the decor is elegant and refined. be forewarned, this is not a cheap place. our bill came to $ 160 for four appetizers, two steaks, half a dozen crab legs, wine, and three desserts. however, it was worth every penny. it is not a place we can afford to do every week, or even every few months, but for once or twice a year to celebrate a special occasion, i can't think of a better place in rochester. we will definitely be back again.